


you have to die to rise from the ashes

by MistyDeath



Series: Drarry Discord Writers Corner Drabble Entries [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Drarry Discord Writers Corner Drabble Challenge, Fire, Gen, M/M, Malfoy Manor, References to Depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-01-22
Packaged: 2019-10-14 06:32:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17503457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistyDeath/pseuds/MistyDeath
Summary: This was written for January's Drarry Discord Drabble Writer's Challenge: "It's time for a change."





	you have to die to rise from the ashes

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to [MaesterChill](https://www.archiveofourown.org/users/MaesterChill/pseuds/MaesterChill) for hosting this month's challenge! This was (I think) the most wordy challenge I've done to date - 400! It was a fun way to start the year and what a great time to jump back into things.

His dreams are changing. They’re starting to come in color now. They have faces, names, scents, and tastes that Draco can feel slip away from him as he wakes up, drenched in sweat and fear.

“You don’t have to do this, you know. There’s other ways that the debt can be paid.”

Draco laughs, and isn’t that just funny, how, out of every emotion he’s feeling right now, nervousness is the one that decides to make itself known. Like it hadn’t been bleeding all over the car on the ride over. Like Harry hadn’t had to drag him out of bed in the morning to make sure he actually made the appointment. As if Draco wasn’t so consumed with the fear of being near the Manor that the consequences of not following through seemed acceptable. 

“No, it’s fine. I mean it’s not, but I think it’s time for a change,” he finishes.

He starts the fire and watches the light bloom through the gardens he vividly remembers running through as a child. Draco thinks he should feel sad. Possibly angry, as any sane person that had gone through the same experience he had. But as he stands there and sees the flames roar underneath the Manor’s wards, Draco feels…nothing. All of them are gone.

Skin prickling, Draco starts backing away from the fire and bumps into someone. He jumps a near mile when a hand comes to rest on his shoulder. 

“Why don’t we leave now?” And of course – of course it’s him. Harry’s standing just behind him, and Draco would be a fool if he thought the man was paying attention to the fire instead of him. “Everything’s under control – the team can handle it from here.”

“If that’s what you want, sure.”

There’s nothing healing about walking by it all. His eyes want to water and dry up at the same time at the scene that’s digging into his brain. There isn’t hope in trying to fix something so broken. Draco turns away from his childhood home and rests his head against the passenger door window. As the gentle thrum of the window rocks him back to the sleep he feels so deeply in his skin, Draco closes his eyes. Harry can take him away from the fire, he’s done it before.

When Draco wakes up the memories won’t be gone, but the nightmare will have ended.

**Author's Note:**

> I can also be found on [Tumblr](https://slashfoxes.tumblr.com)! Come say hi!


End file.
